of all the
pages of the Bible! Christianity's ideals will lead to heaven only when
they are realised on earth--never before.

The Priest. May I venture to say that Christianity's ideal is a pious
life.

The King. Yes. But does not Christianity aim at more than that, or is it
going to be content with making some few believers?

The Priest. It is written: "Few are chosen."

The King. Then it has given up the job in advance?

The Mayor. I think our friend is right, that Christianity has never
occupied itself with such things as your Majesty demands of it.

The King. But what I mean is, could it not bring itself to do so?

The Priest. If it did, it would lose sight of its _inner_ aim. The
earliest communities are the model for a Christian people!

The King (turning away from him). Oh, have any model you like, so long
as it leads to something!

The General. I must say I am astonished at the penetration your Majesty
slows even into the deepest subjects.

Bang. Yes, I have never heard anything like it! I have not had the
advantage of a university education, so I don't really understand it.

The King. And to think that I imagined that I should find my allies,
my followers, in Christian people! One is so reluctant to give up _all_
hope! I thought that a Christian nation would storm the strongholds of
lies in our modern, so-called Christian communities--storm them, capture
them!--and begin with monarchy, because that would need most courage,
and because its falsehood lies deepest and goes farthest. I thought that
Christianity would one day prove to be the salt of the earth. No, do
_not_ greet Christianity from me. I have said nothing, and do not mean
it. I am what men call a betrayed man--betrayed by all the most ideal
powers of life. There! Now I have done!

The General. But what does your Majesty mean? Betrayed? By whom? Who are
the traitors? Really--!

The King. Pooh! Think it over!--As a matter of fact I am the only one
that has been foolish.

Bang. Your Majesty, just now you were so full of vigour--!

The King. Don't let that astonish you, my friend! I am a mixture of
enthusiasm and world-weariness; the scion of a decrepit race is
not likely to be any better than that, you know! And as for being a
reformer--! Ha, ha! Well, I thank you all for having listened to me so
patiently. Whatever I said had no significance--except perhaps that,
like the oysters, I had to open my shell before I died.--Good-bye!

Th